The Boy Behind The Mask
by btrfanfiction1516
Summary: She turned to see a tall young man looking down at her with electric hazel eyes, the quiet melody of the music slowed down to a dreamlike state and the couples dancing around the room blurred and hazed as they passed by her slowly. Her heartbeat was the only thing that was going fast in this crazy situation she found herself in. JATIE ONE-SHOT.


**This is a cute little one shot I thought of at 2am on a friday night awhile back after spending a wonderful time with my best friend and my first crush. We went to a masquerade ball in November of 2011..I miss my best friend dearly and it's hell not being able to see him anymore. And I've been thinking about that night..and him ****a-lot**** lately :( So this is dedicated to my goofy, fun, sweet and caring best friend..Luv ya dude! xoxo.**

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Have you ever wanted something so desperately? Wanted something so bad that you've been earning for it your entire life; but it seems that you're never going to get there?

But you know what? No matter how much it seems like I'm never going anywhere, I don't give up. I don't give up, because…because I believe that nothing is _impossible_.

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Katie stepped towards a table, collapsing into a chair as gracefully as she could with a sigh. Her hair was in loose curls that framed her face ,she was wearing a long royal blue strapless dress with rhinestone beading, with a silver masque mask. .

Why was she dressed in such formal wear you ask?

It was the night of the Masked ball.

And because of the masked ball her doubts were nearly unbearable as she sat alone at the table, hands folded neatly in her lap. The ball room was beautifully decorated, all in warm colors, she had to admit that whoever was in charge of decorating had done an excellent job. She stayed silently in her corner of the room; glad of the mask that obscured her identity as romantic music began blaring from the speakers as she watched the various young men and women dance to the soft melodies.

"What is a beautiful young lady doing sitting all alone?" A soft voice behind her asked, as a smooth hand fell on her bare shoulder lightly.

Forcing her gaze away from the table, she turned to see a tall young man looking down at her with electric hazel eyes, the quiet melody of the music slowed down to a dreamlike state and the couples dancing around the room blurred and hazed as they passed by her slowly. Her heartbeat was the only thing that was going fast in this crazy situation she found herself in. The man stopped in front of her and for a while neither one spoke. He was wearing a white mask that covered the left hand side of his face. Blue sequined swirls covered the mask, which only further accentuated the azure hazel of his eyes and managed in one fail swoop to take her breathe away.

She just shrugged her shoulders at his question as she took a sip out of her champagne glass.

"May I have this dance?" He held out one hand in a chivalrous manner.

The words of refusal were on the tip of the young girls tongue just as her hand took his own. That must have been the mask working, drawing her out. Katie scolded herself mentally, but finally allowed that maybe she wouldn't be so bored if she danced.

Her heart was beating out of her chest when the mysterious man looked at her with those smoldering hazel eyes in the dimly lit room, She stared at him in disbelief before she rested her hand on top of his, surprised to feel it trembling slightly.

His fingers clasped around hers firmly but with unnecessary care as he helped her to her feet, pulling the young girl slowly towards the dance floor.

He swept her into his strong loving arms and held her close until both of her hands were wrapped around his neck, and his were rested easily on her hips as the two strangers swayed to the romantic beat.

For a while, the only thing the two of them did was gaze at one another, forgetting there were other people on this dance floor.

She couldn't help but not smile at how beautiful the man she was dancing with was. Her gaze was so intense, his eyes shimmering with an appreciation that Katie couldn't quite understand. He reminded her of someone she had not let herself think of for two years. __

_James._

But she pushed the thought of him away.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, his face dangerously close to hers and his fingers curled around one of her soft curls, spinning it around in his hands. Her eyes were hypnotized by his and she couldn't have broken the contact even if she'd wanted to. "Speechless I see," he teased, his tone deliberately light.

Katie's eyes found the floor, suddenly embarrassed. Two cool fingers slipped beneath her chin and lifted her head tenderly until her eyes found his.

"Don't shy away now." He whispered into her ear, Katie could feel him smile as the words left his perfect lips.

Katie had no time to reply to his comment because the hand at her waist slipped around her back, drawing her even closer until she was pressed against him in an intimate manner.

She felt him smile against her skin as he pressed his nose into her hair with peacefully shut eyes, as he began rocking the two of them back and forth to the music flowing from the speakers all around you.

"Do you know who I am?" He questioned her in the same hushed manner he used just seconds earlier.

"Am I supposed to?" She asked him back, as she studied his face. She couldn't recognize him, it was probably because of the mask. She thought to herself.

"The tenth of June." He responded, "You told me I had made you feel something that no one else in the world could ever make you feel, and that feeling was-." The man was cut short of his sentence when her voice began to speak in a low murmur  
.

"Loved." She told him, finishing his sentence before she took her trembling hand and caressed his cheek lovingly. She could see the man close his eyes through the mask as he leaned into her delicate sweet touch. But she still didn't know who this mad was, because on the tenth of June was yet another mysterious ball followed by a dance by the man whose name she never got.

And the funny thing was, is that he didn't know her name either, it was as if fate had brought them back together in some mysterious yet beautiful way. The only thing he really knew about the girl in the dazzling blue dress was that he had missed her touch more then he missed the girl behind the mask itself.

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Time around the two lost lovers stood still, the moment undeniably perfect as she danced in the arms of a charming stranger. She rested her head against his broad shoulder, as she allowed the piano's beautiful song penetrate her soul and carry her feet with more poise than she ever thought possible. The piano began to crescendo and Katie felt her blissful happiness suddenly overwhelm her.

She began to hum, her voice an angelic soprano as she weaved an intricate harmony high above the melody that the piano continued to play. She felt her awkwardness slowly ease into nothing as the duet continued endlessly. What happened next startled her into a brief silence.

Cheers erupted around them as a new song began, but Katie and her dance partner remained very still, locked in each others embrace.

As others began to dance around them, Katie tilted her head back towards his face meeting his incredible eyes. They looked back at her with calm contentment. She blinked once, no longer able to hold back the moisture in her eyes, and the shining orbs of silver softened slightly. Her hand suddenly felt empty as his fingers reached up to wipe the tears away. His knuckles rested against the side of her face gently, and she said the only word that came to her mind.

"Wow."

The man stared down at her, leaning closer to her until his lips were only a breath away from hers.

"I know"

Their lips met tenderly, his hand caressing her face lightly as his other hand wound more tightly around her small form. Katie was shocked but did not resist. His fingers trailed down her face and slipped around to clasp the back of her neck, deepening the felt his tongue slip into her mouth with subtle ease, dueling hers playfully as she tilted her head, giving him better access. It was passionate and unreserved: so unlike her that it left her lightheaded.

Nothing had ever felt so right.

She finally pulled away from him, breathless even as he placed light kisses along her jaw until he reached her ear. He nuzzled against the side of her neck before whispering, "May I have the honor of knowing your name?"

Katie then froze; this was not part of the plan. Her fears crashed into her so heavily that she nearly stopped breathing. If this man knew who she was, he would surely regret the night, and she didn't think she could handle the embarrassment.

She shook her head frantically before pulling herself away from his arms and hurrying towards the exit. She pushed through the doors into the empty foyer only to hear a voice call out behind her.

"Please wait!"

Katie froze at the sound of his voice; it sounded so desperate.

She turned to face him. He was walking towards her with lingering hesitance and she had to fight the urge to run away as the door closed decisively behind him, leaving them alone.

He stopped as he reached her, his hands shakily rising to his mask. He took a deep breath before he pulled it away, tossing it to the floor carelessly.

She choked back a sob.

Before her stood the boy behind the mask, his eyes searching hers anxiously, his pale features beautiful even when wrinkled with concern. His jaw was locked as he waited for some kind of response, his blonde hair falling handsomely against his forehead.

"I've never experienced anything like that," he admitted quietly, and suddenly the subtle smirk in his voice was overwhelmingly obvious; she knew she had recognized the voice. He stared at her, his gaze imploring as he continued. "You can't deny that you felt it too."

Of course, he was right. Katie had never felt so utterly complete until tonight. Her mind kept replaying the song, the way their voices had blended effortlessly into one of the most beautiful songs she had ever heard. It was as if they were meant to sing together.

And the kiss.

She shuddered slightly at that memory. She had only kissed two or three other boys, but nothing could compare to what she had felt when she kissed _him_.

As difficult as it was to admit, she knew it was wrong, no matter how right it may have felt to them, the _world_ would never let it happen.

And when they meant the _world,_ they meant their _parents._

"Please," his voice came out hoarsely as he took an awkward step forward.

"No," she finally responded reluctantly, forcing the words from her throat.

"Please," he continued, his hands reaching towards her mask.

Katie though, did not resist as his fingers slipped around the edges of her mask. She uttered one final refutation, but it fell on deaf ears as he pulled the mask away from her face and let it fall to the floor.

But they both knew that whatever they felt, whatever emotions clouded their minds moments ago on that marble flooring as they danced, that they could never show it to one and other without hiding behind the mask

That's who they had to be. She was the girl behind mask.

And he; **_The boy behind the mask_****.**

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**Well...that was fun, Now I get to enjoy having horrible feels of James AND my best friend...I hope you liked it :**


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